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Newborn gaining weight but not pooping. Frustrated!!!

Hello,
My baby was born at 37 weeks 4 days at 6lbs 5 oz. she started off pooping fine. She got jaindice and a bit sleeping and started losing. She got down to about 5 lbs 10 oz. she then started eating great. We went to lactation and after eating they would put her on the scale and she always got enough milk. She is gaining weight just fine. Looks good acts content but she will skip a day or two pooping and then have a huge diaper. She is 2.5 weeks old and hasn't pooped in almost 5 days. The doctor is not worried at all because of the good weight gain and because she was born a bit early so it can take a bit longer to get going, but everything I read says a newborn should poop 4 times a day at least at this age. Any ideas?

Re: Newborn gaining weight but not pooping. Frustrated!!!

The reason you are always told that you want to see at least 4 poops in a day is because that many poops is a good sign baby is getting enough milk, without having to weigh baby constantly. If baby is gaining well (around an ounce a day, or 5-8 ounces per week-or more, from the time baby started gaining (from lowest weight)-then the not pooping is not a concern. Watch wets instead for day to day confirmation baby is nursing well, that, and baby nursing frequently (at least 10 times in 24 hours) and baby content after nursing, as you say, should give you enough info to be sure baby is doing ok between weight checks.

Re: Newborn gaining weight but not pooping. Frustrated!!!

with the PP. After about 6 weeks, a lot of babies start going up to a week, sometimes more, between poops. Some babies arrive at that point earlier. Since your baby is still so young, I'd do LLLMeg says and watch wet diaper output, but I would also want to watch weight gain a little extra carefully, and maybe weigh her once a week for the first few weeks- if she continues in this pattern of less frequent poops, that is.